Rising from the Pain Cave: Part 2 Shawn Cheshire

In part two of this powerful conversation, Penn and Moses continue their interview with Shawn Cheshire. Shawn opens up about the devastating year that changed her life: a traumatic brain injury, sudden vision loss, and the painful custody battle that separated her from her child. She shares how therapy became a lifeline, the moment of brutal honesty she had with herself in a shower, and the resilience that carried her into adaptive sports and eventually the Paralympics.
The discussion digs into stigma—both from the general public and within disability communities—and the surprising challenges Shawn faced as an elite blind athlete. With raw honesty and unfiltered courage, Shawn reflects on the choices that shaped her journey, the discipline forged through trauma, and the deep healing that comes from therapy and community.
This is a conversation about pain, perseverance, and transformation. Shawn’s story reminds us that identity isn’t something we inherit—it’s something we choose and fight for.

Contact Info
Aftersight: aftersight.org
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Show Credits
Hosts: Penn & Moses Street
Guest: Shawn Cheshire
Producer: Jonathan Price
An Aftersight Original Podcast

Chapter Markers
00:00 — Intro & Hike Reminder
02:20 — Injury, Vision Loss & Custody Battle
04:44 — Returning to Work & Identity as a Paramedic
07:09 — Therapy, Night Terrors & Trauma
09:24 — The Shower Aha Moment
11:42 — Choices, Consequences & Growth
14:03 — Therapy as Practice, Not Stigma
16:25 — Trauma Defined & No Comparisons
18:46 — Discovering Cycling & Training Resilience
21:14 — Stigma & Bias in the Paralympics
23:34 — Accusations of “Not Really Blind”
25:26 — Embracing Identity & Handling Judgment
27:00 — Wrap-Up & Teaser for Part 3